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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. track — a song
  3. stem — to come from
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mate — a friend
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. perch — the fish
  12. track — to keep track
  13. field — for sport
  14. mate — to breed
  15. club — for dancing
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. field — farmland
  18. track — a path
  19. field — a subject
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. club — for golf
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. club — a group

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com